Dahal urges halt to airport protests in Pokhara

Locals adamant about disrupting flights

POKHARA, Sept 24: UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pusapa Kamal Dahal requested the locals of Pokhara to halt the ongoing protests demanding a regional International Airport in Pokhara.

Informing that a high level government delegates were schedule to visit china to hold talk on the airport project, Dahal said there was no point in continuing the pressure program. [break]

Dahal, visiting the locals on relay hunger strike on Monday, expressed his solidarity with their demands urged the protestors to change the form of their agitation.

“During a telephone conversation with prime minister in the morning, I was informed that a government team is visiting China to discuss construction of airport in Pokhara. As the delegate is schedule to ink a new deal with the donor, Exim Bank of China, there is no need to continue the protests,” Dahal told the agitators.

Informing that Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai is planning to include some protestors in the government delegation to China, Dahal further requested the Pokhara locals to transform the form of the program.

“The issue will be cleared after the delegation returns from China. The agitations so far has already exerted necessary moral pressure on government, so you have to reconsider on ongoing agitation now,” Dahal said.

“I had prepared the plan of the Pokhara International Airport when I was Prime Minister. I am really unhappy that the project has not moved ahead even today,” he added. “Now the project with begin through a new process.”

Flights to be disrupted from Tuesday

Expressing concerns over the delay to initiate the process of building an international airport in Pokhara, the committee formed by the locals to exert pressure on the government announced that they would disrupt flights to and from Pokhara.

According to Krishna Mohan Shrestha, coordinator of the struggle committee, the locals will halt all flights from 8 am to 12 am from Tuesday to Thursday. Similarly, they will disrupt flights from 12 am to 3 pm between from Friday to Sunday. He also informed that no airline would be allowed to land or takeoff from Pokhara after Monday next week.

“We are forced to halt the flights as the government totally disregarded our demand. One week time asked by the prime minister and tourism minister have also elapsed but without any tangible results,” Shrestha said.

The organizer has requested all the airlines not to conduct flights and Nepal Association of Tours and Travel Agents not to issue air tickets, according to Shrestha.

Former President FNCCI, Ananda Raj Mulmi warned that they would picket Sinha Durbar with more than 500 vehicles if their demands went unheeded.